Brendon’s heart had always been set on music. He was raised in a strictly religious family, which proved more than interesting later on, and though neither of his parents were musicians, they bought him a piano for his birthday once when he was younger, all cliché, and he instantly fell in love. A few years later when he learned he had a decent singing voice- he knew it was his calling, to perform. He’d always been full of energy and hyperactive and often caused trouble and that transferred in his late teens to the small shows he booked at bars, until the prohibition, when he continued to book them only carefully under the noses of his Mormon family. Brendon had known from a young age that he wasn’t attracted to girls like it seemed he was supposed to; instead, he found himself drawn to boys his age in a way that wasn’t ‘natural’, was the only way he could put it in his younger, confused years. As he grew, though, he made peace with it, quickly, and decided that all he wanted to be was genuinely and openly himself, so. When he was discovered and signed to a label and started making traction in the music world- he made sure everyone knew that he was gay. It wasn’t his ‘thing’, but- Brendon was defiant, proud, because he felt he deserved to be. That’d earned him some shiners throughout his life.

It seemed, though, that no matter how obvious he was about it, down to his way of dressing, which [i]screamed[/i] fruit, some fans just didn’t catch on. He still earned himself swathes of adoring female fans who granted him bouquets and fawned over him desperately. It was flattering, and he tended to play along for their sake, but really. Poor girls, so naive and ignorant to his obvious flaming nature. Baffling, really- he’d glance down at his outfit just to doublecheck that he’d made sure to look extra fruity this morning. Huh. He supposed the truth just went right over the heads of people who didn’t want to hear it. Luckily, for people of a similar orientation, Brendon’s sexuality was blatant and that was clear from how quickly Ryan picked up on it, only having barely made eye contact before shifting over and buying him a drink. Now, they were in the bathroom, searching eachother’s faces, hands curled around hips, or jaws, or into hair- things tended to just go like this with people like them. Not like they had rich pickings, or anything.

Not to say that Brendon was just ‘settling’. Ryan was gorgeous, intoxicating- Brendon could only blink, enamoured, when he drew a thumb over the scar running through his eyebrow. Interesting story for that scar, Brendon remembered- and bookmarked it as potential pillowtalk. [i]I wouldn't call it inexperienced when you've set a gold standard already. A diamond in the rough.[/i] Brendon had to bite his lip to stop himself smiling like a fool, trying to convince himself that it was just flattery, Ryan was just saying [i]words[/i] because they had physical chemistry and they were just [i]talking[/i] to cut through that electric tension. But- no. Brendon liked him, liked, as he’d said before, the way that he operated. Ryan was fascinating. [b]”Stop it, darlin’, you’ll make me blush.”[/b] [i]I feel as if we’ve known each other longer, to tell you the truth.[/i] A soft smile finally fought its way to the surface; he knew how Ryan felt. [b]”Y’just sayin’ that,”[/b] Brendon grinned, but he wasn’t grinning for long, smile dropping when he evilly pressed himself forward, a classic move of his. Hey, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Moments after, they had leaned into another brief kiss, Brendon nipping at his bottom lip with a hint of playfulness, at ease despite the obvious sexual tension between them- the air was full of a strange mix of content and anticipation, and it was confusing but intoxicatingly good to navigate. [i]I’m not goin’ down, sweetheart, but I appreciate that concept.[/i] Sweetheart. Brendon dropped his chin but before he could look down at his feet Ryan had caught the side of his face and kissed his opposing cheek in a gesture that was far too gentle for what was, on the surface, a bathroom hookup- which had, admittedly, mostly just been flustered kisses and flattery. Brendon wasn’t usually this slow, but he felt as if they had all the time in the world, no need to rush. Strange. [i]Partners in crime, we are.[/i] [b]”You’re rather confident, Mr Rowe. Complacency is for fools.”[/b] He arched an eyebrow, clearly in jest,though he couldn’t quite keep it together long enough to [i]not[/i] hint towards future encounters before this one had really even started.

[i]I assumed as much.[/i] Charming. Brendon glances at both hands Ryan had curled around the sink at either of his sides and mentally shrugged- he couldn’t really argue with the obviousness of that. [i]And I look forward to it.[/i] Fuck, likewise. [i]We aren’t exactly in the most[/i] romantic [i]place right now.[/i] [b]”Oh, are you a romantic, Ryan? Listen to this,”[/b] He began, tracing the curve of his bottom lip with his finger, [b]”Think candles and roses and silk sheets. Is that [i]romantic[/i] enough for you?”[/b] Brendon was going to continue but Ryan had [i]lifted[/i] him onto the counter and he felt as if all of the breath had been knocked out of him. When Ryan stepped between his legs he automatically wrapped his legs around Ryan’s waist and pulled him close, tilting his chin up to gaze up at him, lips parted. [i]But we can make it work.”[/i] [b]”Uh-huh,”[/b] Brendon said intelligently, rendered unintelligible by Ryan’s deft fingers working the top buttons of his shirt and moving downwards. Ryan was exploring and Brendon was eager to encourage him but then they were kissing, and his eyes fluttered shut as he leaned voluntarily closer, chasing when he pulled away. [i]Have I told you already how stunning you are? I feel like I haven't.[/i]

He smirked. [b]”Don’t just tell me I’m stunning,”[/b] He exhaled, pulling him in closer with the vicegrip of his legs. [b]”Make me feel it.”[/b]